Finance
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the national highway in Moran, Assam’s Dibrugarh district, the first of its sort in the northeastern area, according to government authorities.
Prime Minister Modi also saw an air demonstration by the Indian Air Force (IAF) soon after the ELF was launched.
The airshow featured Rafale, Sukhoi, and MIG combat aircraft.
The fighter jets successfully took off and landed on the highway strip.
According to an official, at least one lakh people turned up to watch the historic event on Saturday.
The ELF on the Moran Bypass, located in Upper Assam, is seen as a significant strategic addition to India’s military infrastructure in the Northeast, providing the IAF with increased operational flexibility in a region marked by heightened tensions in recent years.
The Moran ELF is intended to serve as an alternate landing option in cases where Dibrugarh Airport or the Chabua Air Force Station are inaccessible due to operational constraints or emergency situations.
This facility considerably improves the IAF’s ability to respond quickly to incidents near sensitive border areas.
The 4.2-kilometer-long reinforced concrete stretch was designed to function as an emergency runway capable of handling both military and commercial aircraft.
Unlike traditional fixed airbases, which are susceptible to targeting or interruption during combat, highway-based landing sites provide vital redundancy, mobility, and an element of operational surprise.
The Moran ELF’s absence of a central road divider allows for seamless aircraft movement during landing and takeoff operations.
To ensure safety and preparedness, fencing has been built on both sides of the stretch, and temporary roadside buildings have been removed as part of the operational clearing procedure.
Aside from being the first Emergency Landing Facility of its sort in Northeast India, the Moran ELF’s proximity to the India-China border increases its strategic significance.
Until now, such facilities in India were primarily centered in the country’s west, north, and center.
The Moran installation represents a large eastward expansion of this important infrastructure towards the China-facing frontier.
The dual-use facility, built in close collaboration with the IAF, is designed to accommodate fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tonnes as well as transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 74 tonnes, according to a government release.
Source: IANS
